Carbon pile regulator



Jan. 2, 1951 w. e. NElLD 2,536,205

CARBON FILE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 23, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

- FIG. 2 WILL/AM GE/LD Jan. 2, 1951 w. G. NEILD 2,536,205

CARBON FILE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 23, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

W/LL lAM Gh/VE/LD Patented Jan. 2, 1951 CARBON PILE REGULATOR William G. Neild, Fair Lawn,

N. J., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Teterboro, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 128,940

4 Claims. 1

The present application relates to improvements in a carbon pile regulator of the type disclosed in the copending U. S. application Serial No. 18,433, filed April 1, 1948, now Patent #2533,- 038, issued December 5, 1950, by William G. Neild. In carbon pile regulators of the type having a spring opposing the armature of an electromagnet, it is desirable that the spring have a force deflection curve that will closely approXimate the pull of the electromagnet. For this reason, it is desirable that some means be provided for adjustment of the spring so that the force of the one matches that of the other.

. An object of the invention is to provide improved adjustment means for the armature spring to vary the spring characteristic thereof to match the force of the electromagnet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved armature spring arrangement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel spring rate adjustment means whereby the rate of a compression spring may be adjusted to provide a regulation calibration in a carbon pile voltage regulator.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein three embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary view of a regulator showing the novel spring arrangement.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section view of the regulator shown in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and are fragmentary views of modifled forms of spring arrangements.

Referring to the drawing of Figures 1 and 2, there is illustrated a carbon pile regulator of a type disclosed plication Serial No. l8,33, filed April 1, 1948 and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The regulator includes a carbon pile indieatedby the numeral ill and comprising a number of hol ow discs of carbonv which are stacked within a tube 5 l. The tube ii is preferably formed of a suitable ceramic or other electrical insulating material to carry away the heat developed by the carbon pile it. The carbon pile i3 is or" a suitable size and length to develop the desired regulating characteristics. The tube It is received within a metal shell l2 and, in order to facilitate the dissipation of the heat, the shell is preferably provided with fins it over its length so as to more readily dissipate the "heat away and claimed in my copending apfrom the pile and increase the capacity of the pile. Only a fragmentary portion of the carbon pile ll tube H, housing 12 and fins i3 have been illustrated as they may be any of the types known to the art.

A contact element M is adjustably mounted within the tube ii and has mounted thereon a button I 5 which bears upon an engaging element l 6 of an armature l for regulation of the carbon pile lb. The contact element It is regulated by the action of the armature ll so as to vary the compressive force applied on the carbon pile l0 and accordingly the resistance thereof.

The armature ll includes a flexible metal hinge is which has one end fastened to the armature i l and the other end fastened by bolt l 9 and bar 26 to one end of a U-shaped supporting member 2i having legs which extend at opposite sides of an electromagnet 22. The electromagnet 22 is fastened by bolts 23 to a supporting plate 24. The bolts 23 also serve to secure the U-shaped member 2! to the plate 24. Screw-threadedly engaged in the plate 2d is an adjustable electromagnetic core 25, which projects through the electromagnet 22 into operating spaced relation to the armature ii. The plate 2 is fastened to the shell i2 by rods 26.

While one end of the armature I? is flexibly connected by the hinge member i8, the opposite end of the armature ll is operatively connected to a spring mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 2'! and of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 684,379, filed July 17, 1946, now U. S. Patent No. 2,506,234,

r and assi ned to the assignee of the present application.

The mechanism 2! includes a ball 28 which rides at one side in a seat 25 carried by the armature ll, while the opposite side of the ball 28 rides in a seat 33 formed in an adjustable member 3|. The member has projecting therefrom a stern portion 3?. having screw threads 33 which engage in corresponding internal threads formed in a member 84. A lock nut 35 serves to fasten the stem 32 in adjusted position relative to the member 34. The member 34 extends at a ninety de gree angle to the plate One side of the member 34 is fastened by bolts 35 to one end of a curved metal spring blade 3i. The other end of the spring 3'. is fastened to a block 38 by screws 38. At the opposite side of the member 3a, there is fastened by nut 4d of bolt 33 one end of a similar curved metal spring blade 31. The opposite end of the latter spring 37 is fastened to a similar block 38 by screws 39.

A novel feature of the present application resides in the arrangement of the blocks 38 which are adjustably secured to the plate 24 by screws 4| extending through slotted holes 42 in the plate 24 to engage threaded portions of the block 38.

The blocks 38 each have a longitudinal bore 43 extending throughout the length thereof and adapted to receive a bolt 44 having a nut 45 on the end thereof.

A further feature of the disclosure of the present application resides in the provision of an adjustable means to prevent the armature I! from coming into contact with the magnetic core 25. This means is in the form of a non-magnetic screw 46 adjustably mounted in the "armature so as to provide a stop to limit the air gap between the armature and electromagnet. The adjustable screw B provides a convenient means for calibrating the air gap between the armature and magnetic core and eliminates the heretofore known expedient of providing shims of non-magnetic material of varying width to limit the minimum air gap.

Further, in operation by adjusting the position of the nut 45 on the bolt 44, the positions of the blocks 38 are altered in respect to each other. Varying the position of the blocks 38 varies the ends of the springs 31, and in so doing, changes the radius of curvature at the preformed bend in the springs. change in the spring rate (the unit deflection per unit loading) thus making proper calibration of the regulator possible. After the blocks 38 are adjusted, the spring 31 is preloaded by means of the adjustable stem 32.. With the blocks 38 adjusted for the desired calibration upon a force being applied to the armature I! by the electromagnet 22, the springs 31 will tend to wrap or roll on the surface of the vertical member 34 and blocks 38 as the armature l1 moves under the force of electromagnet 22. Such action will decrease the radius of the springs 31 and greatly increase its resistance to force, so as to provide a force deflection curve which very closely resembles an inverse square curve and eifect a rolling non-slipping action with a minimum friction.

The latter force deflection curve will closely approximate that of the eleetromagnet 22 which will apply a force to the armature I! which continuously increases in excess of a linear relation as the armature ll approaches the electromagnet 22 and which force will vary approximately inversely as the square of the distance between the armature and magnet. Thus the opposing armature spring 3'! is arranged to compensate for the varying force applied by the electromagnet 2-2 to the armature ll. Basic correspondence between the forces of the spring 31 and the electromagnet 22 may be effected by adjusting the blocks 38 to change the radius of the springs so that the force of the springs match that of the electromagnet.

A modified form of the spring arrangement is shown in Figure 3 in which corresponding nilmerals indicate like parts to those described in Figures 1 and 2.

In the arrangement of Figure 3, one end of a spring i! is secured to armature I! by screw 38. The other end of the spring 4'! is secured to a block 49 by screw 55. The block i9 is supported by a bolt extending through a longitudinal bore 52 in the block 49. The bolt 5! extends through a longitudinal bore 53 in a block 5 The block 54 is secured to an L-shaped bracket 55 by bolts 58. The bracket 55 is adjustably mounted on one le of the U-shaped member 2| by means of screws This change in radius produces a 51 extending through slotted holes 58 in the bracket 55. A nut 59 on the bolt 5| permits adjustment of the blocks 49 and 54 relative to each other thus changing the radius of the spring 41. Pins 60 prevent rotation of the block 49.

Another modification of the spring arrangement is shown in Figure 4 in which corresponding numerals indicate like parts to those described in Figures 1, 2 and3.

In the arrangement of Figure 4, one end of a U-shaped spring 6| is fastened to the block 49 by the screw 50. The other end of the spring 6| is fastened to the block 54 by a screw 62. The blocks 39 and 54 are mounted in a similar manner as described in're'ference to Figure 3. Adjusting the nut 59 changes the radius of the spring 61 thus producing a change in the spring rate.

In operation, the springs 41 and El wrap upon the armature I! and blocks in substantially the same manner as the spring 3'! previously described.

Although only three embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, various changes in the form and relative arrangements of the parts may be made to suit requirements.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electrical regulator of the type including a variable electrical resistance means, an electromagnet, an armature movably mounted in relation to said electromagnet, means connecting the armature to the variable electric resistance means; the improvement comprising a spring mechanism including a supporting member, a pair of block members'adjustably mounted on said supporting member, a movable member operatively connected to said armature and extending at a substantially ninety degree angle relative to said supporting member, curved spring blades connected at opposite ends to said movable member and to said respective block member and arranged so that upon movement of said armature toward said electromagnet said curved spring blades wrap upon said movable member and said respective block member so as to decrease the radius of the curved blades and progressively increase the resistance of the spring blades to the displacement of said armature by said electromagnet, means for adjusting said block members to vary the radius of said curved springs to vary the force characteristic of the spring blades.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 and including adjustable means operatively connected to said movable member to preload said armature.

3. For use in an electrical regulator of the type including a variable electric resistance means, an electromagnet, an armature movably mounted in relation to said electromagnet, means connecting the armature to the variable electric resistance means, said electromagnet biasing said armature in a direction for changing the electrical resistance of said variable electric resistance means; a spring mechanism comprising at least one curved blade spring, a movable member, a base member, one end of said spring being secured to said movable member, the other end of said spring being adjustably connected to said base member for axial movement relative to said movable member to vary the radius of said curved spring blade, said spring blade being so arranged that upon movement of said movable member in one sense said curved spring blade wraps upon said base member and said movable member so as to decrease the radius of the curved blade and progressively increase the resistance of the spring blade to displacement of said member in said one sense.

4. For use in an electrical regulator of the type including a variable electric resistance means, an electromagnet, an armature movably mounted in relation to said electromagnet, means connecting the armature to the variable electric resistance means, said electromagnet biasing said armature in a direction for changing the electrical resistance of said variable electric resistance means; a spring mechanism comprising at least one curved blade spring, a movable member, a base member, one end of said spring being secured to said movable member, the other end of said spring being adjustably connected to said base member for axial movement relative to said movable member to vary the radius of said curved spring blade, said spring blade being so arranged that upon movement of said movable member in one sense 6 said curved spring blade wraps upon said base member and said movable member so as to decrease the radius of the curved blade and progressively increase the resistance of the spring blade to displacement of said member in said one sense, and including means for adjusting one of said members to preload said spring blade.

WILLIAM G. NEILD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 364,423 Loomis I June 7, 1887 371,895 Loomis II Oct. 18, 1887 1,895,592 Spencer Jan. 31, 1933 2,427,805 Neild Sept. 23, 1947 

